How the hours-long operation unfolded is based on interviews with four sources familiar with the matter and details Trump himself has revealed. Riders on a motorcycle ride past damages to the port of La Guaira, Venezuela, caused during a US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, on January 3, 2026. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAdvertisementMaduro in CustodyOnce the troops were inside the safe house, Caine said, Maduro and his wife surrendered. AdvertisementAlmost exactly seven hours after Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, he made another post. “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima,” Trump wrote, referring to the amphibious assault ship.

Source: Huffington Post January 03, 2026 20:51 UTC